Sushi Karashima Fukuoka

⭕️ A gem of a pop-up from the renowned Fukuoka sushi restaurant "Sushi Karashima" has landed in Tokyo! ❤️ With refined dashi and playful, surprising dishes, the anticipation builds as the feast begins with: ▶️ "Chawanmushi with Sea Bream Dashi" The moment it touches your lips, the rich umami and elegant aroma of the sea bream permeate your senses. ▶️ "Egg Over Rice with Freshly Grated Bonito" Simple yet delightful, the aroma of freshly shaved bonito combined with the richness of the egg pleasantly stimulates the palate. Simply too delicious! ✨ From here, we continue with stunning appetizers that evoke the essence of Fukuoka: ▶️ "Local Octopus" paired with **"Yame Hojicha"**. The strong umami of the octopus is beautifully complemented by the roasted tea's fragrant finish. ▶️ "Isaki (Japanese Sea Bream) from the Goto Islands" heralds the arrival of early summer, with a delightful texture. ▶️ "One-Night Dried Mehikari" offers a concentrated umami that spreads a sweet richness. ▶️ Additionally, the rich "Anago Liver" beckons for more sake. ▶️ "Isaki Roe Snack" with its delightful pop and perfect seasoning is an exquisite dish like none I've ever had! Simply remarkable! ☺️ Each dish is thoughtfully composed with a balance of flavors, drawing you deeper into the world of Karashima. The sake selection is a wonderful representation of Kyushu, and the blend with Yame tea is incredibly delicious! ✅ With a pleasant sense of excitement, we finally transition to the main event: "Nigiri". The harmony of the rice and toppings in the "Marinated Tuna" is superb, followed by the melt-in-your-mouth "Chutoro". The beautiful finish of the "Kohada" (Gizzard Shad), a benchmark of Edomae sushi, leaves you in awe, leading to the refined sweetness of the "Sea Bream" and the tender "Spear Squid" that clings to your palate. ✨ The pale cherry blossom color of the "Kasugodai" (young Sea Bream) and the youthful freshness of the "Yazu (young Yellowtail)" are delightful, along with the rich flavor of the rare "Buri no Ko" (young Yellowtail). ✨ The highlight was the "Live Anago" (Sea Eel), bursting with life and sweetness with every bite, a fresh surprise. Furthermore, the fatty "Horse Mackerel" was so delicious that I couldn't help but order it again midway through the meal; that day's horse mackerel truly shone like a star. The fresh scent of the ocean in the "Sea Urchin", the beautifully presented "Shrimp", and finally, the fluffy "Anago" wrapped in a sauce, perfectly concludes the course with an Edomae-style "Kanpyou Maki". # A Blissful Encore However, I wanted to savor this luxurious aftertaste just a little longer. I requested additional dishes featuring Kyushu's premium fish. The crunchy and pleasantly textured "Kanpachi" (Amberjack) and the "Akahata" (Red Sea Bream) and "Kue" (Grouper), both known as kings of white fish, burst with rich umami and collagen sweetness with every bite, creating a magnificent finale that felt like the rich seas of Kyushu were right before me, even in Tokyo. ✨ Experiencing the skills of a super popular Fukuoka restaurant in Tokyo is a true luxury for all five senses. I look forward to enjoying it again in Fukuoka! It was a great meal! ☺️ ~~~ Title: Drool-Worthy Ratings ~~~ ⭐️ I probably won't go again ⭐️⭐️ If the timing is right ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Definitely a repeat ❤️ I've already made my next reservation! Less

Regular visits to Sushi Karashima in Fukuoka Sakurazaka.Tabelog Rating: 4.18 Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze Selected as one of the Top 100 Sushi Restaurants in WEST 2025.This is my first visit in two months. After checking in at the ONE FUKUOKA HOTEL just after 3 PM, I continued drinking for the inclusive experience before heading to Karashima.- Chawanmushi made with only sea bream broth A rich and flavorful chawanmushi with a strong essence of sea bream ❤️- Freshly cooked sushi rice with freshly shaved katsuobushi over egg rice A classic dish filled with the love of the father-son duo, the chef cutting the rice and his father shaving the katsuobushi. The aroma is strong and delightful ♥️❤- Local octopus Tenderly cooked and served with Yame hojicha tea, it’s refreshing and delicious thanks to the tea.- Directly sourced Isaki from the Goto Islands in Nagasaki Only the skin is grilled over charcoal, served with grated daikon. Isaki is in season now, and it’s rich and tasty.- Silken mozuku seaweed A palate cleanser.- Freshly sourced Hiramasu from the Goto Islands in Nagasaki A large 5.4 kg Hiramasu, aged and mixed with soy sauce, topped with freshly roasted sesame and green onions.- Young yellowtail (Yazu) from Fukuoka Marinated for six hours in a light broth and topped with spicy soy sauce. It has less fat but a wonderful aroma.- Isaki's roe Prepared in a style reminiscent of mentaiko using fish sauce made from colatura, a type of sardine. I love this roe series, and it pairs perfectly with chilled sake.Now, let’s start the sushi.- Marinated red meat from line-caught tuna from Tsushima, Nagasaki - Chutoro - Chilled kohada - Sea bream - Yari ika (spear squid) - Freshly sourced kisu from Amakusa, Kumamoto - Natural kampachi - Horse mackerel - Additive-free uni from Amakusa, Kumamoto - Simmered anago (conger eel) - Gourd roll Additions: - Sea bream with salt and citrus - Live anago (conger eel) with nerve-stunned preparation - Additive-free saltwater uni from Izaki, Fukuoka - Black mutsu, quickly grilled with soy sauce on the skin - Boiled kuruma ebi (sweet shrimp) marinated in broth - Eel - Simmered scallops - Miso soup - Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet) It was a great meal. Every appetizer at Karashima pairs wonderfully with sake.The sushi has a perfect balance with the rice standing out, as always. My companions were very pleased.Sushi Karashima mainly serves regular customers, but this year they plan to welcome many new guests. ☝️I wonder if it will become harder to make reservations from now on. For now, I plan to visit again in August. Less

June Visit to Sushi Karashima.The appetizers are simple yet original, and the deliciousness of the sushi is unparalleled at this restaurant.~ Appetizers ~◯ Steamed Sea Bream Chawanmushi A chawanmushi made solely from sea bream broth. Its clean umami and gentle flavor make it a wonderful start to the meal.◯ Katsuo-bushi TKG A classic dish featuring freshly cooked rice topped with freshly shaved bonito flakes. The umami and saltiness of the bonito combined with the richness of the egg yolk create an irresistible rice dish. I could eat more of this! ◯ Soft Roe of Isaki Gently cooked soft roe from Isaki. This was my first time trying this ingredient. Its refined richness spreads in the mouth without any off-flavors, leaving a refreshing and beautiful aftertaste.◯ Isaki from Nagasaki, Goto Islands The skin is grilled over charcoal, giving it a crispy texture. The grated Japanese radish on top adds a refreshing touch, and with each bite, the umami of the Isaki is elegantly complemented by the radish.◯ Silken Mozuku ◯ Blanched Local Octopus This dish features the head and legs of the octopus tossed in sesame oil. You can enjoy the different textures and sweetness of the octopus parts, and the sesame oil enhances the sweetness even more.◯ Sashimi of Yazu The Yazus sashimi is seasoned with soy sauce and topped with freshly roasted sesame and green onions. The beautiful umami of the Yazus, combined with the nutty aroma of sesame and the refreshing flavor of green onions, creates a harmonious and delicious experience.◯ Mako of Isaki A signature dish from Karashima, this mako series is prepared using colatura, a type of fish sauce, giving it a flavor reminiscent of fresh mentaiko. The creamy texture is infused with the saltiness and umami of the colatura, making it a perfect accompaniment to Japanese sake.~ Sushi ~● Marinated Tuna from Nagasaki, Iki ★ Toro ● Kohada ★ Yariika ★ Ishidai ● Haruko Tai ★ Shiroboshi Fute Tai ● Maaji ★ Koroshima Purple Sea Urchin ★ Anago ● Kanpyo Maki ◯ Blanched Anago Skin Tossed with ponzu sauce. ★ Amakusa Purple Sea Urchin ★ Live Anago ★ Kuruma Ebi ● Unagi Finally, I enjoyed tamago and miso soup.This time, due to the typhoon, there were fewer additional menu items than usual, but even so, the variety offered at Karashima is unique and abundant compared to other sushi restaurants. I’m excited to think about what additional items might be waiting next time. I look forward to my next visit! Less

One of Fukuoka's renowned establishments, Sushi Karashima.The omakase course, which starts all at once, features a composition skillfully interwoven with seasonal ingredients, exceeding expectations with each dish. The quality of the ingredients, along with the temperature, aroma, and texture, is remarkable, showcasing the chef's sensitivity and high level of skill throughout.The nigiri has a perfect balance of rice, creating a wonderful harmony with the toppings. In particular, the aged and expertly prepared seafood layers its umami, forming a complete piece in the mouth. I was strongly drawn to their approach of respecting tradition while adding their unique expression without being overly extravagant.The atmosphere inside the restaurant is also pleasant, making for a luxurious time as you enjoy your meal while conversing with the chef. This is a place I highly recommend for anyone traveling around sushi restaurants nationwide.A sushi restaurant that could be a reason to visit Fukuoka. I look forward to returning in a different season. Less

- Zuke Maguro (Marinated Tuna) - Maguro (Tuna) - Kohada (Gizzard Shad) - Ishidai (Striped Jack) - Sumi Ika (Cuttlefish) - Kue (Grouper) - Kasugo (Young Sea Bream) - Aji (Horse Mackerel) - Uni (Fukuyosan) - Anago (Sea Eel) - Kanpyo Maki (Dried Gourd Roll) - Additional Items - - Aji (Horse Mackerel) - Shiro Amadai (White Tilefish) - Murasaki Uni (Directly Shipped from Akao-san) - Niho Scallop I was looking forward to enjoying Anago, but I was informed that it was not recommended that day, so I decided not to order it. Less

I visited Sushi Karashima in Sakurazaka, Fukuoka. This restaurant offers unique ingredients and creative appetizers that are hard to find elsewhere.I started with a chawanmushi (savory egg custard) made solely with the clear broth of clams, which gently warmed my stomach—a thoughtfully crafted first dish.The classic egg over rice topped with freshly shaved katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) had a distinct rice texture and acidity, beautifully contrasting with the richness of the egg yolk.Next, I enjoyed a spicy vinegar miso dish with squid delivered directly from a fisherman and spring cabbage, along with the concentrated umami of dried mejikari (small fish), which paired perfectly with my drinks.One particularly interesting dish was the comparison of isaki (grunt fish) and madai (sea bream) roe prepared like mentaiko (spicy cod roe) using fish sauce "Kolatula."This kind of creativity is a unique experience at Karashima.Additionally, there were intriguing delicacies like flounder stomach and pufferfish skin mixed with a rich liver sauce, as well as "Yamaga-yaki" with grilled firefly squid, all catering to the tastes of drinkers.The sushi began with classic selections like akami (lean tuna), chutoro (medium fatty tuna), and kohada (gizzard shad), followed by sumiika (squid), ishidai (stone bream), and aji (horse mackerel), finishing with a roll of anago (sea eel) and a gourd roll.I could certainly feel the effort put into each dish and the focus on rare ingredients. However, when weighing the overall satisfaction against the price paid, my honest reaction was, "Hmm..." The pricing didn’t quite resonate with me, and I felt that experiencing it once would be sufficient. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that this will make it onto my repeat list. Less